POWER CONDITIONING EQUIPMENT

The Power Conditioning Equipment line item (LI 843040) in the Air Force's FY2026 budget supports the Power Conditioning and Continuation Interfacing Equipment (PCCIE) program. This program is designed to ensure the quality, reliability, and continuity of electrical power supplied to mission-critical Air Force systems. The PCCIE program is essential for supporting assets such as communication networks, radar installations, data centers, hospitals, industrial processes, and command and control systems. The goal is to modernize and replace aging uninterruptible power supply (UPS) units, thereby enhancing operational resilience against electrical disturbances, outages, and environmental factors that could compromise mission effectiveness.

The primary objectives of the PCCIE program are to improve power quality, ensure operational continuity, increase efficiency and reliability, and modernize UPS infrastructure. Specifically, the program aims to reduce harmonic distortion and voltage fluctuations, provide uninterrupted power during outages, optimize energy efficiency, and extend the mean time between failures (MTBF) of power systems. By transitioning to next-generation UPS systems, the Air Force expects to reduce maintenance costs and increase system uptime, which is critical for maintaining readiness and minimizing mission downtime.

Power Conditioning Equipment procurement includes voltage regulators, harmonic filters, and power factor correction devices. These components are vital for maintaining stable and high-quality electrical power, which is necessary for sensitive and critical equipment. The program also covers the acquisition and installation of continuation interfacing equipment, such as UPS systems, transfer switches, and backup power systems. These installations are tailored to the specific needs of each Air Force base, ensuring that both standard and unique mission requirements are met.

The PCCIE program is executed through a Multiple Award Contract (MAC) framework, utilizing four prime contractors: Eaton Corporation, M.C. Dean Inc., CSI Electrical Contractors Inc., and Allcom Electric Inc. These contractors compete for each UPS replacement project, which encourages competitive pricing and leverages technological expertise. The acquisition process follows the Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) approach, balancing affordability with technical performance. This structure allows the Air Force to address both emergency and scheduled UPS replacements efficiently, with procurement cycles adjusted based on funding and contractor readiness.

Justification for this line item is rooted in the significant proportion of aging equipment within the Air Force inventory. Over 70% of UPS units currently exceed 15 years of service, resulting in increased failures and reduced reliability. The funding allocated to this program will enable the replacement of systems that have reached or surpassed their operational lifespan, thereby reducing the risk of mission-critical downtime. Modern UPS systems also offer improved energy efficiency and lower maintenance costs, with projected lifecycle sustainment expense reductions.

The PCCIE program supports both active and reserve components of the Air Force, including the Air National Guard (AFNG) and Air Force Reserve (AFR). This ensures that all components have access to reliable power infrastructure for homeland defense missions, domestic emergency responses, and military support to civil authorities, as required by Section 1815 of the FY 2008 National Defense Authorization Act. Funding is distributed across program elements 27510F, 52834F, and 52844F, with the majority of resources allocated to the replacement and modernization of UPS systems at Air Force installations.